In most mobile network benchmarks, uplink is very much the quieter other half of downlink, but with faster upload speeds crucial for applications like smart surveillance, industrial automation, augmented reality and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), operator Verizon has claimed to have set a new standard for US 5G uploads, in a trial that has seen speeds of 480 Mbps.
Verizon regards the achievement as enabling businesses and industries to unlock new possibilities, supporting smarter automation, improved efficiencies and more immersive user experiences, with networks operating with improved responsiveness and accuracy – in short, said the operator, giving users the tools they need to take advantage of the full potential of 5G, and to support the growing demands of AI, real-time applications and data-intensive workloads.
For the trial to achieve the US record-breaking 480 Mbps, Verizon worked with technology partners Ericsson and Qualcomm Technologies, using 200 MHz of C-band spectrum, and uplink multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) technology, using sub-6 GHz spectrum, employing 2×2 MIMO on each 100MHz channel, hosted on Ericsson’s Generation 4 RAN Processor 6672 and Massive MIMO TDD antenna integrated radio AIR 6449.
With the 5G enhanced uplink capabilities demonstrated in the trial, Verizon was confident that businesses and industries could have more reliable and smarter automation, improved efficiencies, and more immersive user experiences.
Real-time applications such as video conferencing, cloud gaming, internet of things communications and augmented reality are also dependent on solid uplink capabilities for acceptable performance. Additionally, as more users generate and upload high-resolution content to platforms like social media and streaming services, Verizon noted that strong uplink capabilities would help maintain smooth performance and enhance customers’ experience.
Other use cases that are said to be set to benefit from the faster upload speeds include time-sensitive applications like healthcare diagnostics, remote robotics and live broadcasting, with uplink providing “seamless” data transmission from customers’ devices to the cloud, enabling low-latency interactions and reducing bottlenecks in data-heavy applications. “Emerging applications, such as smart surveillance, industrial automation, augmented reality devices and generative AI models, require massive amounts of data to be continuously uploaded for analysis, decision-making and model training,” said Srini Kalapala, senior vice-president of technology and product development at Verizon.
“Faster uplink speeds, in combination with the other advancements we’ve been introducing into our network, ensure that AI-driven systems can process real-time video feeds, sensor data and user interactions without lag, improving responsiveness and accuracy. The work we are doing to drive uplink speeds is a key variable that will allow our customers to take advantage of these AI applications on our network.”
Hannes Ekström, vice-president and head of customer unit Verizon for Ericsson North America, said: “Reaching 480 Mbps uplink speeds is a remarkable achievement and highlights the strength of Ericsson’s RAN technology. This breakthrough not only boosts data upload efficiency but also meets the high demands of real-time applications and AI-driven tasks. Our technology is essential for providing smooth performance and outstanding user experiences across enterprise and consumer applications alike.”
Sunil Patil, vice-president of product management at Qualcomm Technologies, added: “Fast upload speeds are essential for applications where every second matters, ensuring seamless data transmission from devices to the cloud for real-time interactions. We are thrilled to be at the forefront of empowering businesses to fully leverage AI, driving smarter automation, greater efficiency and more engaging user experiences.”
